Kindness Costs Nothing

This is the first post I've written that mentions my work. I never thought I'd write something like this, I didn't think there'd ever be a reason to. But today, the line was crossed for me. Working in retail is difficult at times and especially when it's busy. Every staff member does their absolute best and most to make sure the business continues to run smoothly even during these periods. However, there are times when we can't sit back and simply "take it" anymore. Most of our customers are fantastic, I will be honest and tell you that. Sadly, there are a few who tarnish that viewing occasionally. For example, this afternoon I had a middle-aged man verbally abuse me ("filthy c***" & "f***ing bas**** to be exact) and it was appalling. Never once have I been treat so horrifically by another person in my life. Instead of shaming this man, I'd rather spread more kindness than hatred. After the hatred I received today over something so trivial; I'd rather not spread more of that anger/hatred. It's not in my nature to react that way. As hurt and threatened by this encounter as I was, I won't let it ruin my good nature, and I won't let it bring me down.

Later on a lady stopped by and asked if it was ok for her to sit down as she'd just been to physio and her back was crippling her. Instead of saying no and banishing her, I let her sit and in the mean-time brought her a free hot chocolate because she was having a hard enough day as it was, I didn't want it to become any worse for her. After that she profusely thanked me for my kindness, and I felt so much better knowing I'd brightened up another persons day by doing something so simple. By no means am I an angel, and nor will I ever claim to be. There are plenty of others who display similar acts of kindness daily, and you're honestly all amazing. I have been raised with the right morals that I've lived by my entire life so far. As the title of this post states, kindness costs nothing. A little can often go a long way. It's true that you never know what another person is struggling with and sometimes, we as humans just need a little extra love to help us through the day. There's enough hatred circulating in this world to begin with and it's about time people stopped adding to it. Please, spread love and kindness rather than hatred and abuse. The latter will never get you anywhere, and the older you get the more you'll regret the things you said and did to people and how you hurt them. Where's the point of bringing yourself and others down? Being a bully will get you nowhere; it'll turn you into a monster. I'm certain that the majority of people were not raised in a manner that made make them so negative towards others. And even if you were, don't become the person everyone else labelled you to become. You're worth so much more than that.

The bottom line is that life is too short. We need to live in the moment. Spread as much love, kindness and happiness as we possibly can. At the same time, we need to defend ourselves when necessary with words because they will change people's perspective during conflict; actions will not. Being physically abusive will only land you in further trouble; don't stoop to that level. Also, don't be verbally abusive; use your words to invoke thought and change rather than negativity. Every single one of you has a purpose in life; you're all worth so much more than you could ever imagine. Live your life to the fullest, and in the meantime be the best you can be. I believe in all of you, and hope that your futures are filled with more joy, kindness and love than you know what to do with!

Thank you for your support thus far with the blog, and my best wishes to all of you in whatever you're doing with your life at the moment. Everything will get better if it isn't so great already.

Until Next Time,

Luce xo

'I love Summer' Tag

I'm quite certain this is the first 'tag' post I've ever participated in. Since it's summer, it's time to try new things so I'm going to go for it. My friend, Chloe Stedman a.k.a http://chloestedman.blogspot.co.uk suggested I do the 'I love Summer' tag and she's also done it. Well, let's get started!

1) What is your dream vacation?

This is a tough one since I'm an aspiring World Traveler. But I love adventure, so a road trip around America/Canada would be pretty incredible. Also, I've always wanted to visit Italy so they're the joint #1 dream vacay's for me!

2) Favourite summer drink

Anything cold. I'm currently hooked on fresh orange juice, though. It's a shame the sugar content is so high but when it tastes as good as it does, it can't be helped, I must drink it.

3) S'mores or Ice Cream

Ice cream. Honestly, I've never tried S'mores but I imagine I'm missing out 'cause they sound amazing.

4) Pool or Beach?

Beach. It's more adventurous than sitting by the pool all day. 

5) Would you rather spend a summer day outside by the pool or inside watching Netflix?

Since we don't own a pool, I'm going to opt for the latter. Currently suffering with an addiction to Dexter which I recommend everybody watches. Trust me on this one, it's amazing. [As I've come to discover in numerous episodes it is also extremely graphic: sex/murder scenes are brutal and there's often not much they don't show - please bare this in mind]. 

6) Favourite Summer Memory. 

I'm torn between our family 2010 summer holiday to Florida and NYC with friends in 2016. Florida had Disney World *insert heart-eye emoji* and Universal Studios which have some of the best roller-coasters I've been on in my life, I'm a bit of an adrenaline junky. But NYC is the city of dreams, and we did so many incredible things while we were there (read about it all here). Ah, I'm sorry I can't decide on just one! There's way too many to choose from. 

NYC at night from The Empire State Building.

7) Favourite Summer Nail Polish. 

Bright colours are a must in the summer. ORLY's range of neon colours are so great for the summer. My personal fave is the Melt Your Popsicle. It's neon orange, if you're not into neons I'd stay really far away from this range of colours... Melt your popsicle is such a pretty colour! You might want to wear sunglasses whilst wearing it though, there's potential for being blinded by it's brightness. 

8) Sunglasses or Hats?

Personally, I'd go for sunglasses due to having prescription lenses. No point in going on holiday if you can't see anything, right? 

9) Favourite Summer Scent

Victoria's secret body sprays smell gorgeous! Love Addict is my current fave. Bargain alert: You can get 2 bottles for £9.09... Quick, go grab some! 

10) Favourite Barbeque Food

Gotta be burgers. So bad, but yet so good for you. I could devour one right this second to be honest.

One of the best burgers I've ever eaten from TGI Fridays.

11) Bikini's, Tankini's or one piece? 

I'd probably opt for a one piece. I'm not a fan of swimwear due to the fact it clings to all the places I don't want it to. Maybe one day I'll change my mind and flaunt this bod in a bikini, here's to hoping!

12) Summertime Book Recommendations

I could give an extensively long list, but I shall refrain and only list a few. 

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak which is definitely a heart-wrencher. 

Just Friends by Billy Taylor. I don't even know how to begin with this book because parts of it literally broke me. I sobbed, laughed and overall, adored reading this book.

The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic which is a relatively new book, and sadly underrated because it's fantastic. Warning: It can be highly graphic and there's a lot of violence in this book. I'd avoid reading it if you're not ok with gore/violence. I've reviewed this book fully here. 

Until next time,

Luce xo

Our Time in NYC

Believe it or not, I've returned! I'd like to apologise for being MIA for so long but life got in the way and blogging took a backseat. Finding the time to get back into it was nearly impossible because I've been super busy with work. However, I'm going to give it a try and see how it goes from here on out. Think of this as a mini 'fresh start', if you will.

Holiday's can - quite literally - be a blessing from God after working hard all year round. Everyone needs a breather and some excitement from time to time. Well, I've had a huge amount of excitement over the past week. Visiting New York City was a dream come true. From the skyscrapers to Broadway and everything in between it's truly magical. I've fallen in love with this city. To be able to experience NYC even for a short period of time can change your perspective on not only America, but the world as a whole. Being able to witness such beauty up close is enough to make you want to see more of what the world has to offer. We spend so much time focusing on the bad in this world; it's time we started focusing on the good.

We traveled with Thomas Cook and the flight was faultless both ways. The lack of legroom on the Airbus on our return flight was troublesome, though. So, I'd recommend going premium if you can afford to. For 5 nights, I stayed with some friends at the 4* Novotel in Times Square. Honestly, even the hotel itself was quite extravagant. For central New York, the bedrooms were fairly large as well. In fact, everything in New York is large.

Time Square, New York City: Skyscrapers Galore.

Of course, the food portions in America have always been humongous. It's difficult to finish a meal, and yet you struggle through it because it's so delicious. One morning, we came across 'Andrew's Cafe' which is near to Macy's on 34th Street. Holy moly, if you want to eat good pancakes I highly recommend this place (the strawberry ones are divine). Not to mention the iced mocha (as seen on the pic below) which is just as delicious.

Just looking at them makes me drool...

If you wend your way to the Upper East Side at any point look out for Sarabeths. Even though they're pricey - our breakfasts were $17.50 each (excluding tips) - it's so worth splashing out for a beautifully cooked meal. The French Toast was superb. 

Moving on, I'd recommend purchasing a NY CityPass before you go on holiday here. These ticket booklets will save you a heck of a lot of money instead of forking out a small fortune every time you want to visit an attraction. Also, they're handy for skipping queues meaning you get far quicker access to the attractions. Speaking of attractions, here's a few we went to see during our trip.

The Empire State Building

Needless to say, this place was incredible. The easiest way to fall in love with NYC is to go to the 86th floor of this building and gaze out across the city. Honestly, the height is terrifying at first but you quickly get over it. As you can imagine, there were security checks at every attraction, so you have to be prepared for those. With the CityPass, you can go up The Empire State Building twice in one day. Once during the day, and the next at night. However, there are time restrictions so be wary of those. You can only go to the night time session after 10pm which may be difficult with younger kids.

9/11 Memorial Museum

Truthfully, I find it difficult writing about visiting here. It's wonderful that the memory of all those victims stays alive but it was harrowing. You have to prepare yourself mentally before going inside. Of course, it's not supposed to be easy when you visit here. It's purpose is to make you aware of the devastation and heartache the events of 9/11 caused to all involved. Personally, I didn't take any pictures whilst inside the museum because it felt somewhat disrespectful to me. Additionally, seeing people taking selfies whilst they were smiling til their cheeks could split didn't bode well with me either; but what can you do? Everybody has their own way of moving on from tragic circumstances. 

Statue of Liberty

Be prepared for the heat when you visit the Statue, especially during the summer months because there's limited air-con on Ellis Island and there's none on the cruise. The queuing before going through security can also take up quite a lot of time. Although this wasn't my favorite attraction, I did enjoy it. The views of the Manhattan skyline were stunning. That's a sight I could never tire of seeing. 

Top of the Rock

The views from Top of the Rock were picturesque. Being able to see The Empire State building and central park from the observatory deck was a huge bonus. Standing on the observatory deck and being able to see all these massive skyscrapers spreading out for miles was enough to make you feel like the size of an ant. And yet, strangely, it didn't seem daunting. It added to the excitement of being in NYC. 

Broadway: Jersey Boys

I'm all for a good musical, I love them. However, I have a confession to make. When we went to see Jersey Boys at the August Wilson Theatre I dozed off. I tried desperately to keep myself awake but with the air-con blasting and the comfy seats making me all snuggly... I couldn't help but let exhaustion take over. In saying this, I wouldn't want to discredit the actors because regardless of how much I saw of the show, they did a splendid job. It wasn't their fault I fell asleep, I promise! All jokes aside, I would highly recommend going to see any Broadway show whilst in NYC because it's an amazing experience. 

Baseball: Yankees VS. Red Sox

Truthfully, I'm not into sports much. I'll watch the odd football and tennis match every now and then, but I'm not fussed. After going to this baseball match, I'm quite sure I'm a lover of this particular sport. It's easy to follow and the atmosphere was electric. I swear we did about 10 Mexican waves and the YMCA... and seriously now, who doesn't love doing the YMCA? They sell the best lemonade at these matches; make sure to get yourself a cup if you go to one. In order to get to and from the match, we travelled via the Subway which is nowhere near as bad as it's made out to be. If we're making comparisons, it's similar to the tube in London (so I've heard) or the metro. It gets extremely hot and stuffy at the stations though as there is no air-con. 

All in all, this city is beyond your wildest dreams. Sure, the hussle and bussle of a huge city isn't for everyone and that's cool. I truly feel like no matter who you are, you would be able to fall in love with New York City. If I could afford to, I'd move there in a heartbeat. It's made me realise that I want to travel the world now more than ever. While I'm still young, why not go for it? Of course, it's a ridiculously expensive holiday, but it's worth every penny. Do not pass up on the opportunity to visit NYC because you'll regret it. 

Until next time,

Luce xo

The Weight of Perfection

So you want to be perfect?

Firstly, there’s no such thing as “perfect”, nobody and nothing is absolutely perfect no matter what anybody tells you. The fact that people hold such stigma towards themselves over their weight because of the “perfect size” campaigns made by modelling companies and magazines is saddening. Nobody should be made to feel horrible about themselves because of lies thrust upon them by the media and society.

The reason I come baring this pressing matter is due to the fact earlier today I read an absolutely shocking article on Elle.com. Myla Delbasio has been labelled as “plus-size”… I would personally love to know when size 10 became plus-size? Now I understand that in the modelling industry most models are a (rather terrifying) size 0 – 4. Why? What is this obsession with still making that size seem ‘healthy’? It’s incredibly dangerous to be so depleted in weight. Myla is absolutely beautiful regardless of her size, no matter what modelling companies have previously told her and there was no reason for her to think otherwise.

Within the article, it is also stated that Myla “spent years abusing Adderall, crash dieting, and flirting with bulimia in an attempt to whittle herself to ‘straight size’”. “Flirting with bulimia” – it’s almost as if they’re romanticising this serious illness, which, in itself, is quite grotesque. Even by just pin-pointing what this poor girl went through to try and work her way to the top of the modelling game is absolutely horrific. There is no reason why any woman, girl, man or boy should feel the need to put themselves through hell just to be a part of their dream profession. Modelling industries need to put their heads into 21^st-century gear as what they portray on their magazines and runways is – for the most part – diabolical. The women who put themselves forward to walk these runways and be a part of these shoots often have underlying health problems, and an extensive list of them. The list includes conditions such as Anorexia and Bulimia, which are not only physical illnesses but mental illnesses as well.

You might be think, “well it’s their own fault, they made themselves do what they did to be a part of that career path, nobody forced them to do it”, but how can you possibly know that? There are so many reasons why people do the things they do; pushy family members, underlying mental health problems and so they can be happy in what they do. Those are only a few reasons why people feel the way they do towards a particular life choice.

The media plays such a humongous role in today’s society that it’s no wonder with all the thin, beautiful models gracing the covers and inner pages of magazines and websites, that people (not just girls/women) feel so horrid about their own appearance. Personally, I understand this feeling because my own self-esteem is rock-bottom most of the time and seeing those kinds of pictures just makes it worse. As I’ve heard from other peers, and folks on the internet, I’m not the only person who feels that way. Take into consideration the amount of Photoshop work that actually occurs on the majority (if not all) of these models before they are published into these glossy magazines. “Go on, just a little more nip and tuck there, thinning on the cheeks, airbrush those blemishes” – I can bet you those are just a few of the thoughts running through editor’s minds… and straight out of their mouths. 

“If you got beauty, beauty, just raise ‘em up, ‘cause every inch of you is perfect, from the bottom to the top” – Meghan Trainor, thank you for blessing us with these lyrics. I understand why some of you might just be teeny bit sick of this song – as it was blasted on the radio a million times a day for at least 2 months. But seriously, she’s right, every inch of you is perfect in its own way. Alas, I did kind of contradict myself there from the being paragraph of this post, but you gotta do what you gotta do! Of course, everyone has their flaws, but remember – beauty is in the eye of the beholder. It’s time you, and myself included, became the beholders of our own beauty.

Much love to you all,

Luce xo

(This is the link to the article I was referring to: http://www.elle.com/news/fashion-style/myla-dalbesio-calvin-klein-plus-size)